i love music, so i play guitar and bass. i prefer bass, though. i prefer the symmetry and the deep sexy sound of the bass.

what instruments do you guys play....and why? .

the purpose of the poll is to state your favourite instrument (sorry, i messed up the poll and will have to wait for a nice member of admin to come along and amend the title for me). i voted for bass guitar.

i juggled some of the options about a bit (ie to keep strings with strings and woodwinds with woodwinds, etc. the only thing is is that the list is still not perfectly ordered because drums should go with piano - they're both percussion instruments), so maybe the "Other" got lost in the shuffle. theres quite a few other instruments i suppose i could add.

I wasn't sure if multiple voting was legal, so I chose the flute because my childhood music idol is a flautist, and because no one else did. However, I'm only a learner atm, as I could not afford one until last year. I am much better with the acoustic guitar, which I really like because it allows me to sing - the one thing I hate about the flute Come to think of it, I think the voice should be acceptable as an instrument, afterall, it produces music! If it is, it would probably be my choice, as I am a much better singer than a guitarist! They even let me in the choir!

1slipperyfish (troll) wrote:i have had an electric guitar for nearly a year and still can't play the damn thing it's better than a bass though, as i always thought they were for people like me who couldn't play guitar paul

i'm deeply offended by that

bass is a more difficult instrument to master than a guitar is. the role of guitar and bass are light years apart and i've heard that misconception said a few times by some individuals assuming just that because they both seem similar from a superficial level. the skills and mindset required for bass are totally different to those required for guitar. given what people have said that have long experience with both instruments, guitar playing is more for those who couldn't hack bass .
also, guitarists are as common as muck. have a look through the "wanted" pages in any music literature - bassists and drummers are ALWAYS in demand.

Not sure I agree with you there. I think they are technically the same instrument. The bass just happens to have fatter strings!

Seriously though, I will concede that the bass is a more creative instrument in the sense that you have to create your own play, rather than merely memorizing chords as with the rhythm guitar. However I think a good lead guitarist can easily pick up bass, and vice-versa. Also, the bass is not for solo playing, while you can do a sing-along with just a guitar. I read in one of my books about this guitarist who switched to bass only because his fingers were too long! (In my case, my fingers are too short!) He became a great player, but he learnt the trade by playing lead. My personal favourite is the acoustic, because you can take it to the park and sing to yourself. I think it would be rather silly trying that with a bass or electric guitar, or even a keyboard...

also, guitarists are as common as muck. have a look through the "wanted" pages in any music literature - bassists and drummers are ALWAYS in demand.

I think that the reason bassists are in shorter supply is that you hardly have a song without a bass in it, while the keyboard synths can usually stand in for the guitar. You notice guitar playing by its presence, in the case of bass, you just expect it to be there, and would be more likely to notice if it wasn't.

BTW. is it worth separating the acoustic guitar from electric in the poll? I'm not too fond of the electric, you see , although you could argue that there are electro-acoustic guitars!

Not sure I agree with you there. I think they are technically the same instrument. The bass just happens to have fatter strings!

the guitar is a melody instrument wheres the bass is (primarily) a rhythm isntrument. the guitarist has to listen to what the bas player is doing. the bass player has to listen to and work with the drummer to lock in with him/her.

Also, the bass is not for solo playing, while you can do a sing-along with just a guitar.

it can be...and it often is. have you not heard jaco, manring, victor wooten, or even joy division? there are lots of bassists who play entire composotions just using a 4/5/6 string bass guitar. i know because of bought their cd's.

I read in one of my books about this guitarist who switched to bass only because his fingers were too long! (In my case, my fingers are too short!)

finger size has NOTHING to do with ones ability as a bass player. if you look at many the great bass players, they have small hands. then again, there are some with large hands. its all to do with practice and technique.

I think that the reason bassists are in shorter supply is that you hardly have a song without a bass in it, while the keyboard synths can usually stand in for the guitar.

not true at all. have you never heard of bands such as the white stripes and the kills? they don't use a bass. also, the keybaord is the instrument that oftne stands in for the bass - thats what happended in the 1980.the bass is THEE most important instrument in a band. guitarists are just showoffs and egotists who start playing guitar because they imagine themselves playing jimi hendrix sols at the front of the stage whilst everyone adores them. ahhh bless their cotton socks.bassists, meanwhile, are the true centre of any group or any song. because we stay in the background and keep the song going.the bassist is the glue that keeps a song together. if the guitarist makes a mistake, nobody notices. if the bassist makes a mistake, EVERYONE notices...not least because the whole song falls apart.

You notice guitar playing by its presence, in the case of bass, you just expect it to be there, and would be more likely to notice if it wasn't.

BTW. is it worth separating the acoustic guitar from electric in the poll? I'm not too fond of the electric

Guitar, because it is so versatile. So many types: classical, flamenco, acoustic, electro-acoustic, jazz, electric, slide, etc. all with their own distinctive sounds. It's an instrument complete in itself. The classical variety has been described as a "miniature orchestra". Melody and bass all at the same time (if you play fingerstyle, that is).